DRC: Advocacy for funding for the population census

Kinshasa, February 4^th, 2026 (CPA). – Funding for the general population and housing census (RGPH2) was the subject of advocacy on Wednesday in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), during discussions between  the Egyptian ambassador and  representatives of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). “The aim was to present the progress made on RGPH2, recalling Egypt’s historic role as host of the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in 1994,” said Alain Akpadji, UNFPA Resident Representative in the DRC. He said that this strategic partnership is crucial to the success of this census, which is so important for the development of the DRC, before thanking the Egyptian government for its support. The UNFPA resident representative highlighted the Congolese government’s commitment to carrying out the second RGPH2 by disbursing an initial amount of $30 million to demonstrate national ownership of the process and, above all, its acceptance of the establishment of a common fund, managed by UNFPA, which will serve as a tool to pool contributions from various donors for the implementation of this project. For his part, Hesham Abdel Salam El Mekwad, Ambassador of Egypt, expressed his appreciation for UNFPA’s approach, before reaffirming his country’s commitment to actively support the RGPH2, in particular through the training of its agents in Egypt and the sending of Egyptian trainers to the DRC. In addition to this, there will be an exchange of experiences, logistical support, and minimal financial support.